What price tag can you put on better information?
Is your answer numerated in dollars? precious metals?
Did you consider the key difference b/w the value & the price of something?
Perhaps you even said ‘priceless‘?
Regardless of your answer, let’s explore this broad topic in a condensed form with this post tonight. My hope is that it makes you ponder, think in depth & in width, and opens your mind to wanting to make the next step towards getting better information to filter into your mind on a day to day basis.
Let’s use the 8 cornerstone/fundamental “F”‘s to illustrate:
Faith – There is much confusion out there between ‘religion’ , ‘spirituality’, going to ‘church’, & Christianity, for instance. Let alone the mis-understandings ( due to lack of a classical / liber education in 90% + of the US citizenry ) regarding the specific intent of the Founding fathers re: faith in the public sphere. What would the price tag be on getting information to sort this all out, so you can climb up the happiness ‘scale’ ( baseline is 10%, tip top is 80% ) by anchoring your life to belief and faith rather than simply logic and reason? Illustrative book: ‘How Should We Then Live?’
Family – The role models out there in the mass media for family are, shall we say, lacking in so many ways. Family is an anchor for any society that has ever tasted freedom for more than a brief flicker. It is another huge component of the happiness ‘scale’ & until we focus on this priority and release the iron grip of our obligations ( ‘work, work, work’, career, jobs, endless entertainment, et al. ) we will struggle as a nation to recover holistically. Illustrative book: ‘Wooden‘
Finances – Our financial literacy in the West, specifically in my home country of America, is, simply put, far below average. Over the years of the mass media era (I’d date it to the advent of radio, and very much amplified by installment credit & television), we’ve declined across the board both in macro understanding of finances/economics, as well as in micro understanding. Until we confront this goliath, our nation, let alone the entire West, is in for deep seated problems. And, no, please do not even think to rely on a single politician ( both parties are well off the reservation ) to address it – the answers lie in the local community and each household. Illustrative books: ‘Cashflow Quadrant‘ & ‘Leadership and Liberty‘
Fitness – I’ll cover both mental & physical fitness here. Both need a strong overhaul; until we all learn and apply the rules of investment v. expense so we never consider monies put into improving our minds as “spending’ or ‘expense’, same with buying better quality food & drink that is not advertised everywhere and necessarily stocked on a grocery store shelf, we will be challenged to both live healthier, wealthier, and more purpose filled existences. Illustrative books: ‘Resolved: Primer‘ & ‘The Power of Full Engagement‘
Following ( Leadership ) – Where do we begin? First, with Sturgeon’s famous Law: 90% of anything is ‘crud’. That most definitely applies to so many who use the cloak of ‘leadership’ when they are described, or when they describe themselves; so many = 9 out of every 10! Leadership = Influence. ‘Nuff said. Following means you are humble & honeable enough to realize that what you know is not enough to get you where you want to be in life ( = vision ), so you learn from someone(s) who have results, tactfully ignoring everyone else whom you know who is lacking in what you are going after, and you get that pure, world class information to grow your leadership muscle & bones. Eventually, YOU will become someone who has earned the privilege and honour to have others follow you. Illustrative books: ‘Leadership & Self Deception‘ ; ‘Launching a Leadership Revolution‘ ; ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership‘
Freedom – Such a treasure, valuable, and imperative! Yet, why have so many failed to read, understand, and grow their knowledge of the first principles and foundation of our Western heritage? So many answers to this: conveyor belt & professional track schooling that has not focused on what classical/liber/self-directed education used to do pre-1905 (give or take a year or so); far too much focus on entertainment over learning; a divided society due to political gamesmanship and crass vote buying rather than true statesmen / women in the seats of our governmental offices. Regardless, it is only US, and us alone that can and must fix this at the deepest roots. Illustrative books: ‘1913‘ ; ‘FreedomShift‘ ; ‘Centurion Principles‘
Fun – We need to have more fun in our lives, and get off the ‘treadmill of a work existence’. It’s rather troubling that so many are literally building their days (and nights, and all other waking hours) around a job/career and not anchored to their priorities. When many are asked this probing question: ‘What are your priorities?’, answers like ‘family’, ‘God’, ‘my kids’, ‘sleeping’, and such ring out across the land, yet take a look at the same peoples’ schedules, and what you see is not even close to matching 1:1. A focus on priorities and the below simple equation will help us return fun in the form of true restorative rest, relaxation, and more happiness into our over-wrought cultures all across the West, esp. in the US.
Time = Gold / Money (income) = Silver. Simple, yet profound, yes?
Illustrative books: ‘A Month of Italy‘ & ‘The Ultimate Life‘
Friends – True friendship. Aristotle talked of friendship millennia ago, and in present day 2013, we still need to, since so many have turned to social media platforms as a substitute for friends. While I am a big fan of social networking, I am not nearly ready to think of it as a 1:1 even exchange; far from it, actually. Friendship is a two-way street, and requires empathy, enthusiasm, encouragement, & edification. All four of these are fundamental building blocks to turn an introduction of two strangers into acquaintances, and over time, into a win:win relationship that meets the definition of friendship. Agape & philia love both play key roles, here, too. Illustrative books: ‘The Great Connection‘ & ‘Aspire‘
As we put a cap on this evening’s thoughts, I urge you to make the decision ( not to be confused with “trying” something, or having a preference ) to purposefully introduce world class information into your home/office/place of worship/school.
What will truly help you make this decision have stick-ability and kick in the slight edge / power of compounding is doing so with others of like mind. Join an existing ‘LGG’ , ‘challenge group’, ‘tribe’, ‘mini-factory’ or learning organization – regardless of what you call it, community is everything. Being alone is not nearly as powerful as the impact that positive association can and does have on a person’s ability to effect personal change.
Your choice can & will change your life forever. It surely did for me! (and my journey is far from complete :))
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